Play Team Member

Play Team Member

Reporting to:  Play coordinator

Salary:    PCD3 - £25,949 FTE (pro-rata salary £4,484.57)

 Hours:  7.30 hours per week, 11:45am -1:15pm - Term-time / permanent
 

1.    Job purpose/overall description

Working as a member of the play team, you will ensure that all our children have meaningful lunchtime play every day. You will work as a member of the play team to create a safe and stimulating outdoor environment providing social, active and creative play experiences for all. The play team is also responsible for ensuring that all our children have a pleasant eating experience at lunch time, whilst maximising the time they can spend outside playing. You will support all our children as they visit the dining hall and are responsible for setting up the hall to a state ready for use in the afternoon.

2.    Main duties

•    Work as part of the play team to cover all lunchtime tasks daily. This will include sessions outside and also sessions in the dining hall. 
•    Work with the play coordinator to ensure all children have access to exciting play opportunities every lunch time. 
•    Facilitate play opportunities and act as an ambassador for play. 
•    Work with the site manager, play coordinator, and play team members to ensure that all our children have a safe site for play. 
•    Coordinate and communicate between play zones and dining hall to ensure all children visit the dining hall and eat their lunch. 
•    Assess play areas for risks daily and communicating/implementing any changes required. 
•    Assist with putting out and packing away of play equipment/kit. 
•    Record and report incidents of note that occur during lunchtime – e.g. site issues, behaviour, first aid. 
•    Assess and deliver first aid to pupils (if trained). Assist with first aid reporting. 
•    Coordinate and communicate with the play coordinator, play colleagues and the catering team to ensure that all children visit the dining hall in a scheduled manner, to minimise queuing and maximise play time outside. 
•    Assist children at lunch, eg with queuing, getting seated, opening packets, spillages, disputes, clearing plates / cutlery and encouraging good eating and social skills. 
•    Clear and clean the hall during service (eg spillages, assisting with waste food, trays and cutlery).  
•    Offer care, support and advice for children during lunchtime. 
•    Contribute ideas and suggestions to improve the team practices and performance. 
•    Promote and safeguard the safety and welfare of children in accordance with school child protection and behaviour management policies. 
•    Support and uphold the school’s values system, our four school rules and reward pupils with verbal praise for positive attitudes and behaviours. 
•    Attend periodic team meetings and/or training for professional development. 
•    Assist with training new team members. 
3.    Job context

The post holder will work under the general direction of the play coordinator. The play coordinator is directed by the headteacher/governing body who will take the lead on the strategic direction of the school, setting its philosophy and its vision. The post holder will have an important role in working directly with our children; working alongside the play coordinator and other play team members to deliver a programme of activities that is appropriate to the age and needs for the children in their care.

4.    Supervision and work planning

The play team member will not be required to supervise staff within the setting but will need to work with the play coordinator on planning activities for the children. It will be incumbent on the Play team to supervise children at all times. Please note: this supervision may be at some distance depending on the school’s play policy (methods of supervision could include direct, remote and roaming).

5.    Problems and decisions

The play team member will be required to resolve day to day issues of a practical or routine nature amongst the children, but issues of an operational or organisational nature should be referred to the play coordinator.

6.    Knowledge, experience and training

•    Previous experience of play work or working with children is highly desirable. 
•    Knowledge and/or understanding of the Playwork Principles is desirable.
•    Previous first aid experience is desirable (basic First Aid training will be provided). 
•    Literacy and numeracy: Ability to follow written guidance and procedures. 
•    Problem solving: Ability to identify and resolve straightforward problems and refer complex problems to an appropriate member of staff. 
Verbal and written skills: Play team members will be required to record incidents swiftly and add to appropriate central school records. Ability to give clear verbal instructions to children and team members. Ability to follow good protocol.

7.    Skills and personal attributes

•    Enjoy working with young people (all ages in the primary school range 3 – 11 years).
•    Positive and supportive attitude towards young people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. 
•    Confident in working with and able to influence and negotiate with children from Nursery (3 years old) to Year 6 (11 years old). 
•    Strong teamwork skills; enjoy being part of a team, supportive, flexible and reliable. 
•    Practical, solutions driven. 
•    Friendly, approachable and caring manner. 
•    Dependable, with good time keeping.
•    Willingness to try new things and work outside of their comfort zone.

8.    Physical effort and/or strain

Working with children is demanding and requires stamina and resourcefulness. This post will require physical effort, such as initiating active games, demonstrating safe play, walking on uneven surfaces (slopes, sand) and moving ‘loose parts’ materials, containers and furniture.

9.    Working environment

The working environment will be part, or all of the school premises or accommodation selected by the school. Areas of high use are the outdoor play spaces (playgrounds, field, MUGAs, outdoor seating, wooded / scrub areas, ‘The Beach’, Mud Kitchen, Forest School area) and the dining hall, but not restricted to these.

10.    Equipment

•    Play materials (eg scrap materials, loose parts, sports kit, storage containers, logs) are in regular use. 
•    Whistles are used to communicate when a year group can go in for dinner/packed lunches. 
•    Cleaning equipment (brooms, bags, sprays, cloths etc).
•    Folding tables/chairs.
•    First aid kit.

11.    General

This job description only contains the principal accountabilities relating to this post and does not describe in detail all the tasks required to carry them out. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Special notes or conditions

The post holder will be subject to a full police and suitability check to satisfy child protection requirements. The post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and all convictions or cautions must be declared.

The post holder has a responsibility to promote and safeguard the safety and welfare of children in accordance with the school's child protection and behaviour management policy.

Whilst the school hours are set, it is inevitable that other duties will be required from time to time. 
The post holder should be willing to work flexibly to deal effectively with such eventualities.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all of our employees to share this commitment. An enhanced CRB check will be required for this post.

Visits to school are welcomed, please contact Mrs Walsh 01228 560399

This is a rolling advert

For further details and an application pack, please email our School Business Manager, Mrs Walsh at [email protected].

Great Corby School, Great Corby, Carlisle CA4 8NE